The best mud kitchens for outdoor play

As adults, we understand the rush of joy that gardening brings to both our physical and mental health. This is probably why we're always telling our children about all the benefits that playing outdoors, away from their tablets and televisions, can have on their upbringing. There is just something about the fresh air and getting to know nature and the environment that takes all the worries and stresses away. That's where encouraging hands-on play with toys like mud kitchens for kids can create more fun outdoors.

Making an outdoor space that appeals to all the family can be a little tricky to navigate, which is why finding the best mud kitchens, that can fit snugly into a corner of the garden out the way, is an important task.

We know the great benefits of messy play, but getting muddy in the garden is one of the best types of playtimeand role-play, especially when you understand the joys of getting muddy too.

What is a mud kitchen?

A mud kitchen is, well, a kitchen full of mud. But, instead of it being your kitchen, it’s a small outdoor children’s kitchen designed explicitly for muddy, messy fun for your child. Cooking up messy meals in pots, pans, and bowls (you can use old ones you don’t use anymore, or buy special toy ones) is great fun for your child. It is also amazing for encouraging children to talk about what they're doing and is great for stimulating creativity and imagination.

You can make your own DIY mud kitchen out of old kitchen utensils, bowls, saucepans and odd bits of wood, but there are loads of mud kitchens you can buy that will hopefully last the test of time.

What are the benefits of muddy play?

Research has shown what we’ve known since we were children – that playing in the mud can make you happy. Science website LiveScience.com reported on a study by the University of Bristol, which showed that ‘exposure to friendly soil bacteria could improve your mood by boosting the immune system just as effectively as antidepressant drugs’. There’s also further evidence that microscopic bacteria in mud can increase the levels of serotonin in our brains – the chemical that helps us to relax.

So, those mud pies are proven to increase our happiness and relaxation levels – what more reason do we need to invest in a mud kitchen? Playing with mud also creates an instant connection to nature – something we all want to encourage our children to do. Make mud pies, and mud cakes decorated with sticks and leaves, and create a whole dinner party for your friends with mud pasta covered in flowers collected from around the garden.

Best mud kitchen to buy 2022

If you want a personalised and one-of-a-kind mud kitchen, this family-run business has been designing and making children's outdoor play equipment for eight years. This kitchen is lovingly handmade and built with quality timber and has two coats of Cuprinol outdoor paint and two coats of quality exterior oil.

Add your choice of personalisation when you order on the site.

Specifications

Size: H-82cm L-100cm D-36cm Sink height 47cm
Material: Timber
What's included? Every kitchen comes with bowls, utensils, a chalkboard and hooks.

Pros: Personalisation makes for a stand out birthday or Christmas present.

Cons: Lightweight so be careful in bad weather.

Customer review: "Bought as a gift. My child is over the moon and is cooking up a storm! Really well made and just as expected in terms of look and chosen colours. Delivered well wrapped and in two pieces but really easy to put together with 4 screws which are provided and the holes pre-drilled. Took 5 minutes. Lovely toy to encourage outdoor play and imagination."

This mud kitchen is perfect for both outdoor and indoor fun, especially if you lack space in your garden. Made from high-quality solid wood and MDF, the kitchen is painted with non-toxic paint and print alongside being a great height for kids. If you want the kitchen to look its best, make sure you bring it indoors or stick a cover over it in bad weather.

Specifications

Size: L 50cm x W 29.5cm x H 80cm
Material: Wood and plastic
What's included? Utensils

Pros: Great price.

Cons: Having to bring it indoors in bad weather.

Customer review: "This product looks lovely and for the most part is high quality. However, putting it together is fiddlier than you would expect and some of the wood split when we were screwing it together! Luckily it’s not too noticeable."

This simple and practical mud kitchen comes with an attachment that you can fit to your garden hose - which means you'll get a fully working kitchen tap. Perfect for those who want to get really muddy (or like to wash up after a messy play session). Also comes with a draining board and chalkboard. Suitable for 18 months+.

Specifications

Size: 80 x 45 x 87.5 cm
Material: Wood.
What's included? Hose attachment, chalkboard and turning knobs.

Pros: Fits your garden hose.

Cons: Takes a while to build.

Customer review: "Brilliant kitchen, it's low for my 11-year-old but she just squats down with the 4yr old. It's a shame mud kitchens aren't built for bigger kids as the size is aimed at preschoolers. Going to build a block for this so they can get a few years out of it. Also, customer service from the company is brilliant. May arrive in two separate parts so don't panic as I did!"

We like this one as it has an oven built in – so your little one can make mud cupcakes and pop them in the oven to ‘cook’. There are two sink bowls for mixing up batches of mud, plus a hob area, and hooks from which to hang utensils – eight utensils are included. It is recommended to cover up this mud kitchen when it’s not in use, to protect it from rain and bright sunlight (a cover isn’t included, though). Self-assembly required.

Specifications

Size: 105 x 93.5 x 52.5cm
Materials: Wood with metal
What's included? 8 utensils

Pros: Great for a variety of ages.

Cons: Not weatherproof.

Customer review: "Unsure of how the flat pack kitchen would turn out, I was quite impressed when assembled. Luckily I have a DIY-savvy husband. Took quite a while to assemble as we chose to weatherproof the wood. Each piece was dealt with twice before assembly. Spending time doing this was worth it. The grandchildren ages 6 and 3 love it and haven't stopped playing with it."

This is the ultimate mud kitchen - complete with a robust splash tub, a refillable water butt, an actual working tap and a starter kit of stainless steel pots and pans. There's a blackboard to record favourite recipes and a roomy under shelf to store the utensils and mud pie creations. Made from FSC-certified wood, it also features a slide-over wood cover that creates an extra ‘cooking’ zone when extended, making room for multiple little chefs.

Specifications

Size: 39.5 x 96 x 97.5 cm
Material: Made from FSC certified wood
What's included? Sold complete with a starter set of stainless steel pans with mixing whisk

Pros: The extended cooking zone makes it easier to entertain more children.

Cons: Some reviews say it is tricky to put together.

Customer review: "Brought this over the summer holiday for my daughter and she has absolutely loved playing with the garden. This kitchen has been a hub of creative play. Easy to build and all the parts fit really well. Sturdy and strong."

This stylish kitchen is full of lovely little touches in order to encourage sensory playtime. There's a wind chime, a built-in planter with a trellis, three tinker pots for paint, an easy clean painting screen, and an outdoor sink bowl with a range of stylish accessories. It has also been made from FSC®-certified sustainably sourced wood and will fit in with any garden design.

Specifications

Size: 160 x 70 x 115cm
Material: Wood with stainless steel bowl
What's included? Three tinker pots, wooden shelves, outdoor sink bowl, kitchen accessories, bamboo wind chimes, colourful paintbrush pens

Pros: 5-year warranty against failure due to rot

Cons: No personalisation available

Review: "Very sturdy and much enjoyed by our daughter and her friends."

Made to order, this Children's Wooden Outdoor Mud Kitchen is unlike any other option on this list. As well as being made from 99.9% of recycled materials it also can come in a range of 15 colours. Whether they're practicing their spelling on the magnetic paint back board or cooking up a storm on the solid timber hobs, there are hours of fun to be had.

Specifications

Size: Height 110cm Width 100cm Depth 45cm

Material: Wood

What's included? 15 colours available, personalisation available, stainless steel sink, black board

Pros: Comes fully assembled.

Cons: Expensive.

Mud kitchen accessories

Even if your family has its very own mud kitchen in the garden, there is always room for some more utensils and cool add-ons to make sure no one gets bored.